Trinity Kids provides spiritual guidance, education, & community for children from infancy through 5th grade. For Preschool through 5th grade, the “contemplative model”; of children’s ministry is used to provide the framework for learning about the stories of the Bible, with a focus back to the gospel & salvation of Jesus Christ. Lessons and discussions are hands-on, reflective, and open-ended. Please contact Julia Guy (julia@trinityanglicanmission.org) with any questions or to learn more about Godly Play and the contemplative model.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Season of the Church
Year: Common Time/ “Great Green
Growing” Season (green)

Story in Scripture: Genesis
6:9- 9:29

Many children know the story of Noah and the Flood from their early childhood. Nursery rooms, day care centers, infant pajamas-
all remind us of this incredible story and the way in which God drew close to
Noah and challenged the moral norms of the day. The lesson today focused
primarily in the way in which Noah was in communion with God. Noah and his
family loved the Lord and listened to his direction in their lives. Even though
he was undoubtably surprised by the direction that God sent him! Secondly, the
discussion today also focused on the way in which Noah and his family were
brought to a realization of hope and new life as the flood waters began to
recede. Although it is easy to attend only to the variety of animals on
board.... this story is more accurately a story of separation, inspiration,
distruction, patience, redemption, and, at last, new life. The children will also
be enjoying a beautifully illustrated book called Noah’s Ark, by Peter
Spier, which aids in an engaged discussion of the reality of the story.

Guiding Questions for
Discussion:

I
wonder how it felt to be in the Ark with all the rain?

I
wonder what it was like to be surrounded by so much water?

I
wonder how it felt to be washed clean and new and to start over again?

I
wonder how God felt about the animals and the people in the Ark?

I
wonder how it felt as they made a special place to talk to God, to say their
thanks to God?

I
wonder how they felt when they saw the rainbow and understood the promise?

Prayer:

“Father, thank you for
the story of Noah. Help me to understand the ways that you direct my life. I
want to do the things that please you and I know that you want the best for me.
Come near to me the way you came near to Noah. Thank you for my family, my
friends, my pets, and all the ways that I enjoy your blessings every day.
Amen.”

Season of the Church
Year: Great Green Growing Season/
Common Time (green)

Story in Scripture: Matthew 18: 20-35

We [4th- 5th grade students] began our time this week with a
“taste test” of sorts. We sampled a variety of breads- unleavened, leavened,
baked, toasted, soft, hard…. and wondered, ‘Is it really about the bread and
the juice?’ What makes Communion so sacred? How are wheat and grapes different
in the context of Communion than they are in a peanut butter and jelly
sandwich? Having this conversation at home may also encourage the students to
consider incarnation, or the understanding that the full presence of God and
his kingdom can be at work in simple elements like bread and juice. In order to
prepare for Communion, we will continue to think about what we believe takes
place when we partake in Communion (please see the previous week’s summary for
more information about this). We also discussed Communion’s role in the
community of believers. Last week, we made some strong connections between
Jesus’ revelation to the disciples along the road and while breaking bread in
Emmaus. What a mystery it is to behold the miracle and sanctity of Communion!
We read about the importance of remembering the Last Supper and the sacrifice
of Jesus. Finally, much of our conversation today centered on the early church
and how gathering together to pray, worship, learn, and break bread was about
more than tradition or habit. This is an important aspect of Communion that we
must also remember. Receiving the body and blood of Christ is a big deal and we
should always treat it with respect and reverence. As you will see below, our
prayer time also focused on those modern-day Christians who face oppression and
must worship secretly. Next week will be our final lesson in preparing for Communion.
Please let me know if you would like me to revisit or clarify elements of our
learning so far as we meet this last time before participating in the entire
service on October 28th. Thanks!

Guiding Questions for
Discussion:

*I wonder what it must have
been like for Mary to share about Jesus to the disciples and other Christians?

*I wonder how it felt to
have special church services in secret?

*I wonder why the bread
and the juice are so important and special when we eat them during Communion?

*People today still must
worship and take communion in secret, I wonder what that is like?

*I wonder why it is so
important to explain about communion each time before we take it?

Prayer:

“Dear God, thank you for
helping Christians all over the world to meet together for prayer, worship, and
communion. Please protect those who must meet in secret. We pray that the Holy
Spirit would protect and guard them. Just like the early Christians meeting in
the Catacombs, we pray that a place would be made for Christians to gather
together. We know that you are with us when we gather with other believers.
Thank you for you presence, Lord! Amen.”

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Season of the Church
Year: Great Green Growing Season/
Common Time (green)

Story in Scripture: Luke 22: 7-23

This week, we [4th- 5th grade students] began by reviewing the
topics we discussed last week. Then we went on to learn about Communion’s roots
in the Last Passover Supper of Jesus. Although the season of Lent is still
several weeks away, we explored the days and hours prior to Jesus’ crucifixion
to provide a context for the importance of the last meal that Jesus shared with
his friends. An important element of this discussion will be the mystery that
surrounds the sacraments of “body” and “blood.” This is a difficult concept to
understand for 4th & 5th grade students, much less
adults. In a simplified way, we unpacked the idea that yes, before Communion,
the bread and juice are made of the same grapes, water, wheat, etc. that all
juice and bread are made of. In the mysterious and sacred act of Communion,
however, Jesus’ body and blood are infused within the bread and juice. I will
be quite earnest with the students in sharing my own difficulty in truly
understanding this, yet I will talk and pray with them about the importance of
living in mystery and trusting the miraculous work of God. I appreciate this
explanation from our Pastor, Kris McDaniel:

“And, it's important to note that we don't
believe in transubstantiation or consubstantiation (that the elements
literally, physically become the body and blood of Christ). We do believe that
the elements are, however, no less significantly transformed. That they would spiritually
become the body and blood of Christ is just as significant in terms of impact.
Only recently has [the church body] made a distinction between physical and
spiritual, making the physical somehow more real... moving back from
consubstantiation reminds us a spiritual transformation is not less significant
than a physical transformation!”

Please do not hesitate to let me know if I can help clarify this or talk
through this further with you or your child. We will also be talking about
another great mystery- Jesus’ appearance to the disciples on the Road to Emmaus
and his breaking of bread with them. This story can be found in Luke 24: 13-
32.

Guiding Questions for
Discussion:

*I wonder if Jesus’
friends, the disciples, knew how important this Passover meal really was?

*I wonder what Jesus
means by “my body” and “my blood”?

*I wonder why Jesus’
friends repeated this special meal and the words that Jesus said?

*I wonder what you think
of when you see symbols in the church like the cross, or the communion table?

*I wonder what is must
have been like for the disciples to realize that the traveler on the road to
Emmaus was Jesus?

*I wonder about other
times when we are with friends and all along Jesus is there?

Prayer:

“Dear God, thank you for
the mystery of Communion. We know that there are many things that are difficult
to understand and we are so grateful that you will walk along side us as we
learn and grow in wisdom. Help us to turn to your and your words in the Bible
for truth. Just like the disciples on the Road to Emmaus, we pray that you
would reveal yourself to us so that we may better know, love, and serve you
everyday. Amen.”

Season of the Church
Year: Great Green Growing Season/
Common Time (green)

Story in Scripture: John 6: 1-15

This week, we [4th- 5th grade students] began discussing
Communion and it’s place in history, our faith, and our daily expression of
love for Christ. We began by considering the different names for this special
meal- “Eucharist,” “The Lord’s Supper,” and for our purposes, “Communion.” We
also read about the symbolism of the bread and the wine/ juice, the way in
which God provides the opportunity for us to sacrifice in our lives, and the
sacrifice of the little boy who gave up his five loaves and two fish when Jesus
miraculously fed 5,000 people. These various areas of focus allowed us to begin
to understand the whole picture surrounding the sacrament of Communion. Our reading
and discussion was summarized through an activity in which we described the
“Five W’s” of Communion- Who? What? When? Where? Why? These questions and those
written below may be helpful in continuing the conversation at home.

Guiding Questions for
Discussion:

*I wonder how God
provided what we needed for Communion since the beginning?

*I wonder why bread is
such an important food?

*I wonder why the Old
Testament talks so much about sacrifices?

*When we sacrifice, or
give up something important, for God, I wonder how it makes him feel? I wonder
how it makes us feel? (Teacher might share example here…)

*I wonder how it felt
when Jonah sacrificed, or gave up, his bread and fish for the disciples?

*I wonder how it made him
feel to see what God could do with his sacrifice?

*I wonder what sacrifice
has to do with Communion?

Prayer:

“Dear God, thank you for
Communion. Thank you for providing a way for us to come together as a family of
believers to remember you and connect with the promise of your salvation. As I
think about the mystery of Communion, please help me to better understand the
sacrifice that you made for us in your death on the cross. Amen.”